This is the message to matric pupils busy writing their exams from Wonga Ntshinga, senior faculty head of Programmes for ICT at The Independent Institute of Education, SA’s largest private higher education institution.

“It is an understandable mistake for grade 12 pupils to feel that they’ve already failed and don’t have much power to change things or improve on their overall performance with their remaining papers.”

Ntshinga’s advice to pupils

Keep the end goal in mind

Visualise your plans for next year, and match that dream with the performance you need to get there. That means not just the performance on, for instance, the five papers you have already completed, but also the two that are still to come.

Stick to your roster and pace

Keep up with a consistent effort on your remaining work in line with how you planned your approach at the start of the exams. Don’t be tempted to take unnecessary days off now, with the intention of cramming later.

Break down your projects into smaller tasks

Break up your remaining workload into smaller, easier to complete sections rather than attempting to sit down for hours at a time to study entire textbooks in one go.